Act 4, Scene 3

[A room in Petruchio's house in Verona. Enter Katherina and Grumio (Petruchio’s servant) in the middle of a conversation.]

Grumio

No, no, forsooth; I dare not for my life.

Katherina

Performance

Katherina, Lines 1-16

The more my wrong, the more his spite appears.

What, did he marry me to famish me?

Beggars, that come unto my father's door,

Upon entreaty, have a present alms;

Grumio

No, no, I really can’t. I’d be risking my life.

Katherina

The more I suffer, the more he wants to harm me. What, did he marry me just to make me starve? When beggars come to my father’s house, they immediately get what they need. If not there, then they get it somewhere else. But I — who never learned how to beg, and never needed to beg — am starving and delirious with lack of sleep. I’m kept awake by his cursing, and only fed by fighting! And the thing that angers me more than anything? He does all this in the name of love, as if sleeping or eating would make me deadly ill, or kill me on the spot. I’m begging you, Grumio, go and get me something to eat. I don’t care what it is as long as it’s food.

If not, elsewhere they meet with charity.

But I, who never knew how to entreat,

Nor never needed that I should entreat,

Am starved for meat, giddy for lack of sleep,

With oaths kept waking and with brawling fed;

And that which spites me more than all these wants,

He does it under name of perfect love,

As who should say if I should sleep or eat,

'Twere deadly sickness or else present death.

I prithee, go and get me some repast;

I care not what, so it be wholesome food.

Grumio

What say you to a neat's foot?

Katherina

'Tis passing good. I prithee let me have it.

Grumio

Grumio

How about an ox’s foot?

Katherina

That’s great, just let me have it.

Grumio

No, I think it’ll make you angry. How about broiled cow stomach?

Katherina

I love it. Please, Grumio, get it for me.

Grumio

I don’t know... I’m afraid it’ll make you angry as well. What about a piece of beef with mustard?

Katherina

One of my favorite meals.

Grumio

Yes, but mustard might be too spicy.

Katherina

Just beef, then, without the mustard.

Grumio

No, no, you can’t have beef from me unless you have the mustard, too.

Katherina

Then both, or one, or whatever you want!

Grumio

Fine, then, just mustard without beef.

Katherina

Go, get out of here, you lying servant!

[She beats him]

You’ll only feed me by talking about food. Curse you, all of you, enjoying my misery like this! Get out of here.

I fear it is too choleric a meat.

How say you to a fat tripe finely broiled?

Katherina

I like it well, Good Grumio, fetch it me.

Grumio

I cannot tell; I fear 'tis choleric.

What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?

Katherina

A dish that I do love to feed upon.

Grumio

Ay, but the mustard is too hot a little.

Katherina

Why then the beef, and let the mustard rest.

Grumio

Nay then, I will not. You shall have the mustard,

Or else you get no beef of Grumio.

Katherina

Then both, or one, or anything thou wilt.

Grumio

Why then, the mustard without the beef.

Katherina

Go, get thee gone, thou false deluding slave,

That feed'st me with the very name of meat.

[She beats him]

Sorrow on thee and all the pack of you

That triumph thus upon my misery!

Go, get thee gone, I say.

[Enter Petruchio and Hortensio with meat. Hortensio is visiting his friend Petruchio to see how things are working out with Katherina.]

Petruchio

How fares my Kate? What, sweeting, all amort?

Hortensio

Mistress, what cheer?

Katherina

Faith, as cold as can be.

Petruchio

Pluck up thy spirits; look cheerfully upon me.

Here, love, thou seest how diligent I am

To dress thy meat myself and bring it thee.

I am sure, sweet Kate, this kindness merits thanks.

Petruchio

How is my Kate doing? Why the long face, sweetheart?

Hortensio

How are you, mistress?

Katherina

I swear, I’m as cold as can be.

Petruchio

Well, cheer up, give me a smile! Here, love. Look how thoughtful I am, seasoning your food myself and bringing it to you. Surely that deserves some thanks, sweet Kate. What, not a word? Well, I guess you don’t like it. All that work for nothing. Here, take away this dish.

Katherina

Please, leave it.

Petruchio

Even the worst service deserves some thanks. And you’ll thank me before you touch your food.

Petruchio

[Aside to Hortensio] Eat it all up, Hortensio, if you care about me! [To Katherina] I hope it does your gentle heart good. Eat up, Kate, and soon we will return to your father’s house and enjoy it as extravagantly as the best of them. We’ll wear silken coats and caps and golden rings; ruffles, cuffs, petticoats and things; scarves, fans, and double our usual finery; amber bracelets, beads, and all kinds of frills. Are you done eating? The tailor is waiting for you, so he can dress you up in his finest costumes.

[Enter Tailor]

Come, tailor, let’s see these accessories. Show us the gown.

[Enter Haberdasher]

What’s new with you, sir?

Haberdasher

Here is the hat you ordered, your worship.

Petruchio

Why, this was shaped on a bowl! It’s like a velvet dish! Ugh, it’s lowly and filthy, a seashell or a walnut shell, a trinket, a toy, a trick, a baby’s hat. Take it away. Come on, give me a bigger one.

Katherina

I like this size. It’s fashionable, and gentlewomen wear hats like this.

With ruffs and cuffs and farthingales and things;

With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery,

With amber bracelets, beads and all this knavery.

What, hast thou dined? The tailor stays thy leisure,

To deck thy body with his ruffling treasure.

[Enter Tailor]

Come, tailor, let us see these ornaments.

Lay forth the gown.

[Enter Haberdasher (a hat maker)]

What news with you, sir?

Haberdasher

Here is the cap your worship did bespeak.

Petruchio

Why, this was moulded on a porringer;

A velvet dish. Fie, fie; 'tis lewd and filthy.

Why, 'tis a cockle or a walnut-shell,

A knack, a toy, a trick, a baby's cap.

Away with it! Come, let me have a bigger.

Katherina

I'll have no bigger. This doth fit the time,

And gentlewomen wear such caps as these.

Petruchio

When you are gentle, you shall have one too,

And not till then.

Hortensio

[Aside] That will not be in haste.

Katherina

Performance

Katherina, Lines 73-80

Why, sir, I trust I may have leave to speak,

And speak I will. I am no child, no babe.

Your betters have endured me say my mind,

And if you cannot, best you stop your ears.

My tongue will tell the anger of my heart,

Petruchio

Well as soon as you’re gentle, you can have one. Not until then.

Hortensio

[Aside] That won’t happen anytime soon.

Katherina

Well, sir, I hope I have permission to speak — and speak I will. I’m not a child, not a baby. Better men than you have listened to what I have to say, and if you can’t listen, you’d better plug your ears. My tongue will speak the anger of my heart, or my heart will break from holding it in. Instead of letting that happen, I’ll be as free as I want through my words.

Petruchio

Right you are. It’s a pitiful hat, a pastry crust, a trifle, a silken pie. I love you more because you don’t like the hat.

Katherina

Love me or not, I like the hat. And I will have it, or no hat at all.

[Exit Haberdasher]

Or else my heart, concealing it, will break;

And rather than it shall, I will be free —

Even to the uttermost — as I please in words.

Petruchio

Why, thou say'st true; it is a paltry cap,

A custard-coffin, a bauble, a silken pie.

I love thee well in that thou lik’st it not.

Katherina

Love me or love me not, I like the cap,

And it I will have, or I will have none.

[Exit Haberdasher]

Petruchio

Thy gown? Why, ay, come, tailor, let us see't.

O mercy, God, what masquing stuff is here?

What's this, a sleeve? 'Tis like a demi-cannon.

What, up and down carved like an apple tart?

Here's snip and nip and cut and slish and slash,

Like to a censer in a barber's shop.

Why, what, a devil's name, tailor, call'st thou this?

Hortensio

Petruchio

And how about the gown? Come, tailor, let’s see it. Oh, God have mercy! What is this masquerade costume? What’s this, a sleeve? It looks more like a cannon. Cut up and down like an apple pie — snip, nip, cut, slish and slash, like a lattice in a barber’s shop. Why, what in devil’s name do you call this, tailor?

Hortensio

[Aside] It looks like she’ll have neither a hat nor a gown.

Tailor

You told me to make it carefully and well, and to make it according to the latest fashion.

Petruchio

I certainly did, but if you remember, I didn’t tell you to break it according to the latest fashion. Go trudge through the gutters to get home, for all I care. You’ll be going without payment from me. I’ll have none of this. Take it away, go see if you can do something with it.

Katherina

Well I’ve never seen a more stylish gown, more elegant, pleasing, or lovely! Perhaps you’re trying to make a puppet out of me.

[Aside] I see she's like to have neither cap nor gown.

Tailor

You bid me make it orderly and well,

According to the fashion and the time.

Petruchio

Marry, and did; but if you be remembered,

I did not bid you mar it to the time.

Go, hop me over every kennel home,

For you shall hop without my custom, sir;

I'll none of it. Hence, make your best of it.

Katherina

I never saw a better-fashioned gown,

More quaint, more pleasing, nor more commendable.

Belike you mean to make a puppet of me.

Petruchio

Why, true, he means to make a puppet of thee.

Tailor

She says your worship means to make a puppet of her.

Petruchio

Performance

Petruchio, Lines 106-114

O monstrous arrogance!

Thou liest, thou thread, thou thimble,

Thou yard, three-quarters, half-yard, quarter, nail;

Thou flea, thou nit, thou winter-cricket thou!

Braved in mine own house with a skein of thread?

Away, thou rag, thou quantity, thou remnant,

Or I shall so be-mete thee with thy yard

Petruchio

True, he’s trying to make a puppet out of you.

Tailor

She’s saying you want to make a puppet out of her, your worship.

Petruchio

Oh monstrous arrogance! You’re lying, you thread, you thimble. You yard — three quarters, half yard, quarter, a few inches. You flea, you louse, you cricket. Insulted in my own house by a spool of thread? Get away, you rag, you shred, you remnant, or I’ll see how you measure up. I’ll beat you with your yard-stick — then you’ll think before you babble as long as you live! I am telling you, you’ve ruined her gown.

Tailor

Your worship is mistaken. The gown was made just as my master was told. Grumio gave me the order.

Grumio

I gave him no order, I gave him the materials.

Tailor

Well then how did you want it to be made?

Grumio

With needle and thread, of course.

Tailor

But didn’t you want it to be cut?

Grumio

You’ve trimmed many things.

As thou shalt think on prating whilst thou livest!

I tell thee, I, that thou hast marred her gown.

Tailor

Your worship is deceived. The gown is made

Just as my master had direction.

Grumio gave order how it should be done.

Grumio

I gave him no order, I gave him the stuff.

Tailor

But how did you desire it should be made?

Grumio

Marry, sir, with needle and thread.

Tailor

But did you not request to have it cut?

Grumio

Thou hast faced many things.

Tailor

I have.

Grumio

Face not me. Thou hast braved many men; brave

not me. I will neither be faced nor braved. I say unto thee,

I bid thy master cut out the gown, but I did not bid him

cut it to pieces. Ergo, thou liest.

Tailor

Tailor

I have.

Grumio

Well don’t trim me. You have insulted many men, but don’t insult me. I will neither be trimmed nor insulted. I tell you, I told your master to cut the gown, but I didn’t tell him to cut it to pieces. So you’re lying.

Tailor

Well, here is the note you sent, as proof of what I’m saying.

Petruchio

Read it.

Grumio

The note lies in his throat, if he says I sent it.

Tailor

[Reads] First of all, a loose-fitting gown.

Grumio

Master, if I ever said loose-fitting gown, sew me into its skirts and beat me to death with a ball of brown thread. I said a gown.

Petruchio

[To the Tailor] Proceed.

Tailor

With a small flared cape.

Grumio

I admit I ordered the cape.

Why, here is the note of the fashion to testify.

Petruchio

Read it.

Grumio

The note lies in 's throat, if he say I said so.

Tailor

[Reads] 'Imprimis, a loose-bodied gown:'

Grumio

Master, if ever I said ‘loose-bodied gown,’ sew me

in the skirts of it, and beat me to death with a bottom of

brown thread. I said ‘a gown.’

Petruchio

[To the Tailor] Proceed.

Tailor

[Reads] 'With a small compassed cape:'

Grumio

I confess the cape.

Tailor

[Reads] 'With a trunk sleeve:'

Grumio

I confess two sleeves.

Tailor

[Reads] 'The sleeves curiously cut.'

Petruchio

Ay, there's the villainy.

Grumio

Tailor

With a wide sleeve.

Grumio

I admit to two sleeves.

Tailor

The sleeves exquisitely cut.

Petruchio

Well there’s the problem.

Grumio

Error in the note, sir, error in the note! I commanded that the sleeves should be cut out and sewn up again. I’ll prove it in a fight, even if your little finger is armed with a thimble.

Tailor

If we were in the right place I’d fight you. I mean it.

Grumio

I’m ready for you now. You take your note, give me your yardstick, and don’t go easy on me.

Hortensio

God have mercy, Grumio! He won’t stand a chance.

Petruchio

Well, sir, the gown is not for me.

Grumio

You’re right, sir, it’s for my mistress.

Petruchio

Go, take it up so your master can use it.

Grumio

You scoundrel, no way! Lift up my mistress’ gown for your master’s use!

Error i' th’ bill, sir; error i' th’ bill. I commanded

the sleeves should be cut out and sewed up again, and

that I'll prove upon thee, though thy little finger be

armed in a thimble.

Tailor

This is true that I say. An I had thee in place where,

thou shouldst know it.

Grumio

I am for thee straight. Take thou the bill, give me

thy mete-yard, and spare not me.

Hortensio

God-a-mercy, Grumio! Then he shall have no odds.

Petruchio

[To the Tailor] Well, sir, in brief, the gown is not for me.

Grumio

You are i' the right, sir; 'tis for my mistress.

Petruchio

[To tailor] Go, take it up unto thy master's use.

Grumio

[Pretending that Petruchio is addressing him]

Villain, not for thy life! Take up my mistress'

gown for thy master's use!

Petruchio

Why, sir, what's your conceit in that?

Grumio

O, sir, the conceit is deeper than you think for.

Take up my mistress' gown to his master's use! O, fie,

fie, fie!

Petruchio

Petruchio

What do you mean by that?

Grumio

Oh, sir, the meaning is deeper than you think. Lift up my mistress’ gown for his master’s use! Tsk, tsk, tsk!

Petruchio

[Aside] Hortensio, tell the tailor you will see that he gets paid. [To the Tailor] Go, take it away. Leave and say no more.

Hortensio

[Aside to Tailor] Tailor, I’ll pay you for the gown tomorrow. Don’t be offended by his rash words. Go, I say! Give my regards to your master.

[Exit Tailor]

[Aside] Hortensio, say thou wilt see the tailor paid.

[To the Tailor] Go take it hence; be gone, and say no more.

Hortensio

[Aside to the Tailor] Tailor, I'll pay thee for thy gown tomorrow.

Take no unkindness of his hasty words.

Away, I say, commend me to thy master.

[Exit Tailor]

Petruchio

Performance

Petruchio, Lines 165-179

Well, come, my Kate, we will unto your father's,

Even in these honest mean habiliments.

Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor,

For 'tis the mind that makes the body rich;

And, as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,

So honor peereth in the meanest habit.

Petruchio

Well, come on, Kate. We’ll go to your father’s house even in these respectable but common clothes. Our wallets will be rich, our garments poor. For it’s the mind that makes the body rich, and just like the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, honor peeps through the lowliest clothing. Is the jay more precious than the lark, because his feathers are more beautiful? Is the snake better than the eel, because his patterned skin appeals to the eye? No, good Kate. And likewise, you are no worse because of your poor accessories and ordinary clothes. If you feel ashamed, blame it on me. So enjoy yourself! Let’s leave right away, to feast and entertain ourselves at your father’s house. [To Grumio] Go, call my men, and let’s go straight there. Bring our horses to the end of Long Lane. We’ll walk there on foot, and then get on our horses. Let’s see... I think it’s now around seven in the morning, so we might make it there by lunch.

What, is the jay more precious than the lark

Because his feathers are more beautiful?

Or is the adder better than the eel

Because his painted skin contents the eye?

O no, good Kate; neither art thou the worse

For this poor furniture and mean array.

If thou account'st it shame, lay it on me;

And therefore frolic. We will hence forthwith,

To feast and sport us at thy father's house.

[To Grumio] Go, call my men, and let us straight to him;

And bring our horses unto Long-lane end;

There will we mount, and thither walk on foot.

Let's see; I think 'tis now some seven o'clock,

And well we may come there by dinner-time.

Katherina

I dare assure you, sir, 'tis almost two;

And 'twill be supper-time ere you come there.

Petruchio

Katherina

I promise you, sir, it’s almost two in the afternoon. It’ll be dinner time before we get there.

Petruchio

I won’t get on my horse unless it’s seven. Whatever I say, or do, or think about doing, you’re always against it. Never mind, sirs. I won’t go today, and before I go, it has to be whatever o’clock I say it is.